Etiquette for Placing Silverware in the V Position

Video Transcript

"Hello I am Elena Brouwer from the International Etiquette Center in Hollywood, Florida. Website is etiquettecenter.com. When you are eating continental style you know that you are holding your silverware in your hands at all times, but sometimes you need to get to your bread or to your drink. In that case you would place your silverware in almost a ‘V’ position on the plate very wide open which says that I am resting, I am not finished. Then you would go to your bread or your drink. When you are finished with your continental way of dining, you would put it together. This is your silent signal to the staff or to your host/hostess that you have finished. In England it is placed right in the center and in most of the countries it is place to your right a little bit. If this was a clock, it would be about 10 minutes to 4. That would be the position of it and that would always show that you have finished. "